Weekly Update: March 31, 2014

The San Jose Earthquakes are idle this week, but defender Clarence Goodson and forward Chris Wondolowski will join the United States Men’s National Team for their match against Mexico at University of Phoenix Stadium on Wednesday (8 p.m. PT / ESPN, WatchESPN, Unimas).

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

Topping Out on Stadium Steel
The Earthquakes hosted their new stadium’s Topping Out Ceremony on Friday, March 28, signifying the completion of steel erection for the superstructure. Devcon Construction placed the final beam at 11 a.m., wrapping up a three-month process that began on Dec. 18, 2013. Over 500 fans, players, front office staff and ironworkers attended a barbecue following the ceremony to celebrate the occasion.

Goodson, Wondolowski Called to USMNT Duty
Earthquakes stars Clarence Goodson and Chris Wondolowski have been called to United States Men’s National Team duty by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann as the Americans prepare to take on Mexico in a 2014 FIFA World Cup tune-up. The USA faces Mexico on Wednesday, April 2 at University of Phoenix Stadium (8 p.m. PT / ESPN, WatchESPN, Unimas) in their final match before convening for World Cup camp in May. San Jose’s duo will be available for the club’s match against the New England Revolution on Saturday, March 29 (7:30 p.m. PT / Comcast SportsNet California) before departing for camp the following day.

Doyle Signs Extension
Earthquakes general manager John Doyle signed a new contract last week. Doyle, 48, recently started his seventh season as general manager of the Earthquakes, following a season in which the Quakes equaled the third highest point total in team history. He successfully signed Mark Watson as the club’s permanent head coach, after Watson led San Jose to the best record in MLS over the final three months of 2013 as the interim head coach. In the offseason, Doyle added Ligue 1 veteran Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi, defenders Brandon Barklage and Shaun Francis and Portuguese star Yannick Djalo, while retaining the core of the team from the past two seasons.

Fucito Loaned to Sacramento Republic FC
The Earthquakes loaned forward Mike Fucito to Sacramento Republic FC last week. Fucito, 27, joined the Earthquakes on Jan. 17, 2013 in a trade with the Portland Timbers for San Jose’s second-round pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft. He made seven appearances for the Quakes last season before a suffering season-ending right ankle fracture in late May. Fucito is a six-year MLS veteran out of Harvard with three goals and two assists in 43 appearances during his professional career.

Fucito Debuts for Republic FC
Mike Fucito made his Sacramento Republic FC debut in a 1-1 draw against LA Galaxy II over the weekend, starting and playing 73 minutes. The match marked Sacramento’s first competitive game in club history.

Wondolowski Adds to March Goal Total
Chris Wondolowski scored his second goal of the month and season in San Jose’s 2-1 loss against New England over the weekend. He has now scored 11 goals during his career in March, tops in the league all-time and the only player to reach double digits.

Tickets on Sale for Levi’s® Stadium Match
The Santa Clara Stadium Authority and the San Jose Earthquakes have partnered to present the first event at Levi’s® Stadium. The Earthquakes will host to Seattle Sounders FC in one of Major League Soccer’s most heated rivalries on Aug. 2, 2014. Tickets are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.com.

USMNT to Host World Cup Send-Off Match at Candlestick Park
The United States Men’s National Team will open a three-game FIFA World Cup send-off series against Azerbaijan at Candlestick Park on Tuesday, May 27. Kickoff is 7 p.m. PT on ESPN2, WatchESPN and UniMas. The match marks the first time the USMNT will visit Candlestick Park. The U.S. has only played in San Francisco once before, garnering a 3-2 win against Japan at AT&T Park in 2006. The match will also be the first time the United States and Azerbaijan’s senior teams have played against each other. In addition to the match in San Francisco, the United States will also face Turkey at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. on Sunday, June 1 (11 a.m. PT / ESPN2, WatchESPN and UniMas) and Nigeria at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. on Saturday, June 7 (3 p.m. PT / ESPN, WatchESPN and UniMas).

Earthquakes-Timbers Game on Oct. 4 to be Aired Live on NBC Sports Network
The club’s match against the Portland Timbers on Saturday, Oct. 4 will be aired live on NBC Sports Network. Kickoff is 8 p.m. PT at Buck Shaw Stadium. The match was previously scheduled for local viewing at 7:30 p.m. PT. All tickets issued for that match will still be valid at the gates.

Wine And Dine with the Earthquakes Slated for Sunday, May 18
The club will host its Wine and Dine with the Earthquakes event on Sunday, May 18 at Guglielmo Winery in Morgan Hill. For a third-consecutive year, guests will enjoy tasting a selection of Guglielmo's red and white wines while mingling with Earthquakes players, coaches and front office staff at the Villa Emile Event Center. They will also experience the irresistible charm of a vintage cobblestone courtyard, a picturesque backdrop with vineyards and rolling hills and a wine bar and arbor still draped with grapes on vines planted by the Guglielmo family three generations ago. The event will feature a buffet dinner courtesy of Cosmopolitan Catering, live auction, raffle and grape stomp as well as celebrity bartending from Earthquakes players. For more information and to register, visit www.sjearthquakes.com or email the club’s community relations manager, Alison Piergallini, at apiergallini@sjearthquakes.com.

Earthquakes to Host Fifth-Annual Corporate Cup
The Earthquakes will host its Fifth Annual Corporate Cup on Saturday, July 26 in San Jose. The 5v5 tournament features companies from across the Bay Area, including past winners National Tire Warehouse, DZH Phillips and DV8 Elite. Teams are guaranteed at least three games and can choose to play in Men’s Corporate, Men’s Open or the Co-Ed divisions. Registration is now open at www.sjearthquakes.com or by calling 408-556-7700. All proceeds will benefit the Earthquakes Community Fund. Packages will include a fully catered meal by Cosmo Catering during the tournament and San Jose Earthquakes match tickets. All proceeds will benefit the Earthquakes Community Fund.

Earthquakes Unveil New Logo, Jerseys
The Earthquakes unveiled the club’s new logo during a public event attended by over 4,000 fans at San Pedro Square Market in Downtown San Jose on Jan. 30. The club projected images and videos onto the 12-story Sunwize building at the corner of W St. John St. and N San Pedro St. For more information about the unveiling, visit www.sjearthquakes.com.

ACADEMY NOTES

Earthquakes U-16s
The Earthquakes U-16s drew Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0-0 and beat Crossfire Premier 2-1 over the weekend. Uriel Cordoba and Rory Birse accounted for San Jose’s scoring against Crossfire Premier. The three points solidified the Quakes’ second-place position in the Northwest Division with five regular season games remaining. They’ll return to action on Saturday, March 29 against second-place Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Simon Fraser University. Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. PT.

Earthquakes U-18s
The Earthquakes U-18s split their weekend matches, falling 4-3 against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday and beating Crossfire Premier 2-0 on Sunday. San Jose fell behind 2-0 against Vancouver, but goals from Macario Hing-Glover and Josh Morton tied the game through 50 minutes. Whitecaps FC made it 3-2 in the 53rd minute, but a quick response from Amir Bashti two minutes later again tied the game. Vancouver found the winning goal in the 69th. The Earthquakes bounced back for a key 2-0 win one day later thanks to goals from Alex Liua and Morton. Next up is a Southern California road trip that kicks off with Chivas USA at Bell Gardens on Saturday, April 5 at 12 p.m.